My proposal was one of the cheapest

It is not very often that one finds someone with whom they ‘click’ with on many fronts. Often times, many people are in a rush to ‘put a ring on it’ that they do not dig deeper to understand the person they are committing to spend their life with.

‘Salongo’ Samuel Eyangu and ‘Nalongo’ Prossy Akale Eyangu, on the other hand, seem to have hit the jackpot with one another.

They were really into one another that Samuel proposed to her on phone.

 “It was during one of those calls in the evening as we were wrapping up our day when he asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ I do not think he had purposed to propose, but it came along as we talked,” she says.

“With no prior idea that he was going to ask for my hand in marriage, there was no tingling feeling on hearing him say it. I guess I was indifferent at the moment hence able to tease him that I needed to see him face to face when he is saying the words. However, after some days, he was quite disturbed about something and I wanted to cheer him up, so I said, ‘Yes I will marry you”,” she adds.

Samuel says their proposal was one of the cheapest, because it did not involve many people, just the two of them.

“We walked to Wandegeya, bought the engagement ring, prayed over it and that was it,” he says.

Prossy adds that she loves being her, never sold out to the copying and pasting movie things.

 “Later, he came to apologise for not going down on one knee to give me the ring, and I told him, not to do things because others are doing them but to simply be himself. I love the fact that it was simple, unique, and down to earth,” she says.

Young students

The two met at Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in 2003.

“We were doing the same course; Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and he majored in Accounting while I in Finance. As such, we sat together for the course units we shared, especially in second and third year,” Prossy shared.

She also led the Teso Students Development Association (TESDA) and Samuel was one of the ministers on Prossy’s cabinet whom she says was quite different from most of the men she worked with.

“He was friendly, very honest, caring and genuine so we became friends with no strings attached throughout campus.

Later on, I discovered he was also very bright with his name always appearing on the dean’s list for outstanding performance. So I asked him to allow me join their discussion group. Thankfully, he accepted and introduced me to the rest of his friends who eventually became my friends. They were all good students and great company,” she reminisces.

On the other hand, Samuel loved Prossy’s character; genuine, kind hearted and focused while also God fearing. “These were the main things which drew me to her,” he intimates.

There is something about being genuine friends with the one you get married to, as their courtship was no longer than three months.

“After graduating in 2005, in 2006 we decided to start dating. Having been great friends for all this while, making the decision to get married was easy,” she laughs.

Upon making that decision, it took them a year to prepare for their wedding within which they went to Kampala Pentecostal church, now Watoto Church and made their booking as well as have premarital counselling which Pastors Mark and Maureen Kigozi took them through.

Their introduction was in February 2007 and thereafter a wedding on March 24, 2007 at Watoto Church. Their entourage comprised a matron, best man, flower girl, pageboy, and four maids.

In April, that year, they conceived and while this immediate shift is usually tricky for several couples, the Eyangus found comfort in a bosom friend who is also a doctor.

“He is now one of our pastors at Worship Harvest Ministries where we fellowship but back then, he was very helpful at Nsambya Hospital where he worked. That made the process a lot lighter because we often got professional advice in that area when we needed it,” they mention.

Challenges

That aside, Samuel remembers their first year of marriage as one riddled with financial challenges, especially for house rent and upkeep but God took them through.

“I remember once telling her, during those moments, that I had never had a moment where my bank account had zero balance but here we were with several ‘zero balance’ moments. Nonetheless, I am thankful that somehow God took us through those moments and we were able to go through smoothly,” he says.

Complement each other

On the other hand, for the last 14 years, Prossy cannot put a finger on any serious challenge they have faced.

“Yes, we are different and were raised differently from different backgrounds, but we actually complement each other. Samuel has made me enjoy marriage in the present years we have been married and I am sure the best is yet to come,” she says.

“I think what also helped us was we were first friends before we decided to get married. When you are friends, there are no strings attached, so no need to pretend, but just be yourself. As such, when we got married, it just got better because then, we became intentional at looking out for each other.”

They have three children including twins but have also parented several others from time to time such as cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The other glue that holds them together is they understand one another and one of their love languages is quality time.

“Therefore, we love to spend time together, talking, travelling, planning, making jokes and teasing each other,” they beam.

Advice

Salongo and Nalongo Eyangu advise young people that when you love someone that loves you too, do not be deceived by material wealth, which they may or may not yet have. “All that comes with time, because the Bible says “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favour from the Lord.”

Therefore, favour will follow and there will be abundance. Otherwise, marriage is a good thing and it is God’s idea,”